Air carrier exceeds assigned altitude as captain sneezes at level off altitude.

Attributes
ACN	224496
Time
Date	199210
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hfd
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 22320
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	224496
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	224395
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was doing IOE with a new first officer. I had turned off flight director and autoflt systems except autothrottle was engaged. Cleared altitude was FL220. Approaching level off with normal rate of climb I had a violent sneeze. I was unable to lower the nose promptly for level off. Maximum altitude before reaching to FL220 was 22320. Time at 22320 was momentary, while descending at 22180 TCASII gave us an RA. Traffic was at approximately FL220. I am unsure of distance, at least 1 mi separation, perhaps 3 mi. Supplemental information from acn 224395. This occurred during initial operating experience; I would not normally let myself be distraction during a level off to ensure we did level at the assigned altitude. The captain was leveling off and sneezed at a very inopportune time!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR EXCEEDS ASSIGNED ALT AS CAPT SNEEZES AT LEVEL OFF ALT.

Narrative: I WAS DOING IOE WITH A NEW FO. I HAD TURNED OFF FLT DIRECTOR AND AUTOFLT SYSTEMS EXCEPT AUTOTHROTTLE WAS ENGAGED. CLRED ALT WAS FL220. APCHING LEVEL OFF WITH NORMAL RATE OF CLB I HAD A VIOLENT SNEEZE. I WAS UNABLE TO LOWER THE NOSE PROMPTLY FOR LEVEL OFF. MAX ALT BEFORE REACHING TO FL220 WAS 22320. TIME AT 22320 WAS MOMENTARY, WHILE DSNDING AT 22180 TCASII GAVE US AN RA. TFC WAS AT APPROX FL220. I AM UNSURE OF DISTANCE, AT LEAST 1 MI SEPARATION, PERHAPS 3 MI. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 224395. THIS OCCURRED DURING INITIAL OPERATING EXPERIENCE; I WOULD NOT NORMALLY LET MYSELF BE DISTR DURING A LEVEL OFF TO ENSURE WE DID LEVEL AT THE ASSIGNED ALT. THE CAPT WAS LEVELING OFF AND SNEEZED AT A VERY INOPPORTUNE TIME!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.